As we mark 15 years since the murder of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramatunge, we look back on the murder of two Tamil youths who were killed as part of a cover-up by the Sri Lankan security forces.

In the aftermath of Wickramatunge’s murder, details of the killing began to slowly become revealed over the years as international pressure over the assassination mounted.

Sri Lanka has published a bill to establish a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation. Though the bill superficially appears to tick several boxes for the international community, a close examination reveals it is deeply flawed and represents a total betrayal of justice for Tamil and Sinhala victims of mass atrocity crimes. This is aside from whether there is political will to implement any truth recovery regarding the country’s violent past.

Leaders of the Tamil Families of the Disappeared group (FOD), have called on the Sri Lankan state to immediately release the leader of Vavuniya's FOD, Jentta. They vehemently condemned the arbitrary arrest and detention of the aggrieved Tamil woman, who attempted to speak on behalf of the FOD with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe during his visit to Vavuniya earlier this week.

Mullaitivu FOD

The 39th anniversary of the Vankalai Church massacre was solemnly commemorated at St. Anne's Church in Vankalai, Mannar, marking the day when members of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) fatally shot Reverend Father Mary Bastian and nine other locals, including children, at the Vankalai Church on 6 January 1985.

The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) remembered assassinated human rights lawyer and former leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Kumar Ponnambalam, at their Jaffna office yesterday. 

Sri Lankan police have arrested three people during a protest against President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to Jaffna today. 

Leader of the Tamil People’s National Front, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, has urged Tamils to consider boycotting the upcoming Sri Lankan presidential election as a strong display of public distrust in the electoral system. 

Canada’s Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities and MP for Brampton West, Kamal Khera, marked the beginning of Tamil heritage month with a video message celebrating the Canadian Tamil community as driving force that makes Canada stronger.

Writing in the ‘Eater’, Pallavi Pundir explores how Kanji, or rice gruel, became a symbol for Eelam Tamils of political resistance.

The UNP’s sole member, MP Vajira Abeywardene, expressed gratitude to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the party of the Rajapaksas, for not bowing to international pressure.

On this day 18 years ago, five Tamil students were summarily executed by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force, whilst they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee.

To date no one has been held accountable for the murder.

Batticaloa District Court has ordered for the continued detention of 9 Eelam Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), who were arrested for commemorating Maaveerar Naal.

Responding to these arrests, Human Rights Watch issued a statement condemning the continued crackdown on Tamil memorials.

Sri Lanka's police announced the arrests of nearly 15,000 people during a week-long military-backed anti-narcotics drive, a crackdown denounced by rights activists.

Police said their operation, code-named "Yukthiya" or "Justice", led to the seizure of almost 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of narcotics, including 272 kg of cannabis, 35 kg of hashish and nine kilograms of heroin.